Red Sox take commanding 3-1 Series lead over LA

Red Sox take commanding 3-1 Series lead over LA

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Steve Pearce hit a tying homer in the eighth and a three-run double in the ninth, and the Boston Red Sox rallied from a four-run deficit in the seventh inning for a 9-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night and a 3-1 World Series lead.

The improbable surge all started with pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland’s three-run homer in the seventh, shortly after Yasiel Puig’s three-run homer in the sixth had put the Dodgers up 4-0.

Pinch-hitter Rafael Devers singled in Brock Holt with the tie-breaking run in the ninth, with also included Xander Bogaert’s RBI single.

Craig Kimbrel gave up Enrique Hernandez’s two-run homer in the bottom half before getting the final three outs.

Chris Sale starts for the Red Sox on Sunday against Clayton Kershaw, tying to close out Boston’s fourth title in 15 seasons.

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8:19 p.m.

Thanks to Steve Pearce, we’re tied again in the late innings at Dodger Stadium. Anyone up to play 18?

Pearce launched a solo home run off closer Kenley Jansen with one out in the Red Sox eighth, making it 4-all.

The top of the Boston lineup had done nothing for two days until Pearce, batting third, homered over the wall in left-center field to compete a comeback from a 4-0 deficit.

Los Angeles threatened in the bottom half, but pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal struck out against Joe Kelly with runners at the corners.

Game 3 was the longest in World Series, going 18 innings and more than seven hours. With both bullpens tired, we’ll see how long Game 4 goes.

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7:57 p.m.

Pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland hit a long three-run homer off Ryan Madson, cutting the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lead to 4-3 in the seventh inning of World Series Game 4.

Given a four-run lead in the sixth on a run-scoring error and Yasiel Puig’s three-run homer, Rich Hill walked Xander Bogaerts leading off the seventh and struck out Eduardo Nunez.

Hill allowed one run and one hit in 6 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Kenley Jansen relieved to start the eighth for the Dodgers, a night after allowing Bradley’s tying home run in the eighth inning of a game the Dodgers won 3-2 in a Series-record 18 innings.

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7:24 p.m.

The Dodgers have taken a 4-0 lead in Game 4 of the World Series with a big sixth-inning rally capped by Yasiel Puig’s three-run homer.

Los Angeles finally got to Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez, who threw five outstanding innings before losing control. His defense also didn’t help him, with catcher Christian Vazquez making a throwing error while attempting to turn a bases-loaded double play to end the inning.

Justin Turner scored this tight game’s first run on that poor throw to first. Puig then crushed a 92-mph fastball down the middle deep into the left-field bleachers, raising his arms in triumph while Rodriguez simultaneously slammed down his glove in pure frustration.

Rodriguez’s 93rd and final pitch was turned into the second homer of the postseason for Puig. The ebullient Cuban right fielder also was the Dodgers’ Game 7 hero with a three-run homer against Milwaukee in the NLCS.

Rich Hill is through six innings of one-hit ball for the Dodgers, who are likely to go to their bullpen soon.

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6:48 p.m.

Pitchers Rich Hill and Eduardo Rodriguez are in complete control at Dodger Stadium.

Only three singles and a lot more strikeouts through five scoreless innings. The crowd seems a little quiet _ could be the lack of action, could be fans are worn out after the Game 3 marathon.

Hill, who grew up in Massachusetts and pitched for the Red Sox, has allowed one hit and fanned six against his former team. Rodriguez has given up two hits and struck out five.

Big hitters coming up for both clubs in the sixth.

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6:32 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill held the Boston Red Sox hitless through four innings, and Game 4 of the World Series remained 0-0.

Hill struck out five _including big league RBIs leader J.D. Martinez twice_ walked two and hit Red Sox left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez on the right shoulder with a pitch. Hill threw 57 pitches.

Rodriguez allowed two hits through four innings with four strikeouts and a walk, throwing 67 pitches.

Both teams were in need of some distance from their starters after the Dodgers’ 18-inning, 3-2 win in Game 3. Neither pitcher allowed a runner past first.

The top four in Boston’s batting order have combined to go 0 for 35 in Games 3 and 4.

After Justin Turner singled leading off the fourth, Manny Machado struck out on a changeup and dropped to 3 for 16 (.188) in the Series.

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6:08 p.m.

Pitching is dominating again at Game 4 of the World Series, with the Dodgers and Red Sox combining for one hit through three innings.

The third got off to a bizarre start when Rich Hill hit Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez on the shoulder with a 2-2 fastball. A pitcher hadn’t hit another pitcher with a pitch in the World Series since 1968, when Mickey Lolich hit Nelson Briles.

Rodriguez had never been on base in his big-league career, and he halfheartedly jogged into a forceout before Hill finished his third inning of Game 4 without allowing a hit.

Hill then popped out on a bunt attempt in the bottom half, and his cleat slipped on first base while running it out. Hill caught himself and appeared to be OK.

Rodriguez calmly completed his third inning against Los Angeles on 48 pitches. He hasn’t pitched more than four innings since mid-September.

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5:50 p.m.

Not a whole lot of hitting so far at Dodger Stadium _ is it tired batters, fresh pitchers or tough to see in this twilight start?

A single by Chris Taylor is the only hit through two innings in a scoreless Game 4.

LA lefty Rich Hill, who didn’t play in the Dodgers’ 18-inning win in Game 3, has struck out three and walked two. Eduardo Rodriguez, who threw just six pitches the previous game, has fanned two and walked one.

Then again, there was a lot of action until late in the game Friday night. By early Saturday, it sure got interesting.

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5:32 p.m.

Rich Hill started for the Dodgers and Eduardo Rodriguez for the Red Sox in the third all left-hander matchup, which had not happened in the World Series since 1997, according to STATS.

Hill retired the side around a walk in the first, throwing 20 pitches, and Rodriguez had a similar bottom half, tossing 24 pitches.

Retired Los Angeles Lakers star Koe Bryant read the starting lineups and former Oakland star Dennis Eckersley threw a ceremonial first pitch with Kirk Gibson standing at the plate. Gibson’s two-run pinch homer off Eckersley won the 1988 opener, and the Dodgers went on to win what remains their last title.

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4:55 p.m.

Seattle’s Edwin Diaz and Milwaukee’s Josh Hader were given the Reliever of the Year Awards in each league, honors named after Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman. Diaz led the big leagues with 57 saves, and Hader won as a setup man.

“I think we’re seeing a microcosm of what baseball is turning into, with the bullpenning and things like that,” Hoffman said.

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4:39 p.m.

When Eduardo Rodriguez takes the mound for Game 4, the Boston left-hander will be the first pitcher to start a World Series game on zero days’ rest since 1924.

Firpo Marberry accomplished the unusual feat for the Washington Senators.

Marberry came on in relief to strike out one New York Giants batter in the ninth inning of Game 2, and the Senators won it in the bottom half. Marberry then started Game 3 at the Polo Grounds, pitching three innings.

Although Marberry was the pitcher of record in Game 2, he was denied a World Series victory. According to a contemporary report by The Associated Press, New York “chief scorer” Fred Lieb awarded the win to starter Tom Zachary, who pitched the first 8 2/3 innings of Game 2 “and was entitled to the most credit for the victory.”

Four other pitchers started a World Series game on zero days’ rest between 1906 and 1911, including Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown and Orval Overall.

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3:45 p.m.

A three-time Cy Young Award winner with a 2.39 career ERA in the regular season, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is just 9-9 with a 4.28 ERA in 23 postseason starts and six relief appearances.

Trying to improve his image as a less-than-stellar postseason pitcher is not a concern.

“I don’t really care about legacy. I don’t really care what people think of me or perceive of me,” he said Saturday. “Game 5 is a very important game to win the World Series, and I’m looking forward to pitching that game and hopefully putting us in a great spot going back to Boston. And that’s really all I care about. All that other stuff, people are going to have their opinions, you know, and that’s fine. I’m not here to change them. I’m here to pitch. And all that other stuff will take care of itself.”

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3 p.m.

Viewership for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 18-inning win over the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the World Series dropped 15 percent from last year, hurt by a game that ended at 12:30 a.m. PDT.

The Dodgers’ 3-2 win, which took a Series-record 7 hours, 20 minutes, averaged 13,251,000 on Fox, the network said Saturday. That was down from an average of 15,483,000 for Houston’s 5-3 win over the Dodgers last year, a game that lasted 3:46. This year’s Game 3 was the lowest viewed since an average of 13,722,000 tuned in for the New York Mets’ 9-3 win over Kansas City in 2015.

Boston’s 8-4 win in the opener averaged 13,755,000 and its 4-2 victory in Game 2 averaged 13,442,000, Fox said.

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2:45 p.m.

After Friday night’s 18-inning game, the Dodgers have shortened batting practice to 30 minutes and made it optional.

Manager Dave Roberts says he is set to go after a short night of sleep.

“We’re in a good mental space right now. I slept a few hours. I’m three cups of coffee deep,” Roberts said. “It’s the World Series. If you can’t get up for this, we have to find something else to do.”

Game 3 was the longest game in World Series history at 7 hours, 20 minutes.

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2:15 p.m.

David Freese is leading off for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series.

He will start at first base against the Boston Red Sox.

Max Munc, whose home run leading off the 18th inning gave the Dodgers a 3-2 victory in Game 3, bats second and plays second base.